Coming Soon	The pieces on this page are in the publication process, and will appear on the "Newly In Print" page as soon as they are printed. Sound Clips. Where this icon appears next to a piece, click on it to hear a short sound clip of that piece. Clips are MP3 format, and can be heard in many players, including Microsoft Media Player. If you don't have it, get it free here.
Flamenco dancer Cory Carile joins the wonderful Hamilton Children's Choir in Überlebensgross, directed by Zimfira Poloz.
Christmas Day (How Long The Night Can Last) unison and piano Recording Available Dale/Chafe	Written for my friends David Chafe and Andrew Dale, this piece is meant to be simple enough for young singers and subtle enough for the most advanced. I love paradoxes, and this song portrays a Christmas Eve that could be tranquil, or tormented, or both. The torment is deliberately understated so that choirs can portray a mood of gentle Christmas comfort without any dark edge. For those who find the dark edge throws the light into higher relief, you'll know what I'm after. Although first written for a soloist, the melody is well suited to how a unison choir shapes a phrase. top
J'ai Vû Le Loup SATB Recording Available Hopewell  Amabile	For the Amabile Youth Singers of London, Ontario, revoiced for SATB for Hopewell Valley Central H.S. of Pennington, NJ. The title means "I've seen the wolf". In this down-home kicker of an old French song the narrator meets with a fox and a hare as well, and outdoes them all when it comes to shouting, whirling and twirling, and being a wild, victorious thing in general. There are only a few lines of French to learn, along with a melody that will have the whole choir humming as they leave rehearsal. Not too technically advanced a chart, but one that does well with some more mature, high school voices in the mix. Overall, a song of triumph that starts with a whisper and builds to a roar. If you compare the two soundfiles you will notice the SATB version goes at a less breakneck pace. Originally I wanted the whirlwind of energy created by a quick tempo, but came to feel that a slower pace added defiance and dignity to the revels. This is, after all, a song of survival. The soundfile is by Hopewell Valley from the soon-to-be-released CD Floating Upstream. top
Ka Hia Manu TTBB and two percussion, optionally more Recording Available Amabile	For the Amabile Chamber Choir of London, Ontario, and revoiced for TTBB for Dr. Jonathan Palant and the Turtle Creek Chorale. A suite of Polynesian styles, ranging from very ancient and energetic chants, to a hushed pentatonic murmuring, to the melodies that grew out of the hybrid between native music and missionary hymns. The title means "Many Birds" and birds, which are central to Polynesian mythology and folklore, are the main thematic link in texts that merge the holy places of the islands with the heroic king, Hotumatu'a. The Polynesian words are easy to pronounce, and much of the piece can be learned quickly. A lot of fun for the singers, and the chants are ideal if you have a high-spirited choir that is ready to grunt and snarl like true warriors. Here are some tips for when the percussionists are asked to hold bamboo poles and strike downward. Bamboo poles can usually be found in Chinatown furniture stores, but PVC pipe may be easier to get. I've used a wide variety of diameters in both bamboo and PVC. In order to get a big, resonant sound (and to protect the surface you are "poling" against) it helps to strike the poles against the little wooden platforms that are staples in theatre arts departments. The space in the wooden structure acts as a resonator and amplifier. Depending on the size and height of the platforms I've had the percussionists stand on the floor and drum the poles against the platform, or sometimes the percussionists are standing on the platform as well, although depending on the equipment you're using that can deaden the sound somewhat. top
A photo session with the stars of Ann & Séamus: Andrew Dale, Kathleen Allan, and on the far right Alison Nicholas. Photos by Chris Nicholas.